


Forever Cursed?

by talinatera



Series: Forever reborn [1]
Category: The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Blood and Injury, Complete, M/M, Short One Shot, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-13 07:11:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12978801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talinatera/pseuds/talinatera
Summary: Floating. That was the first thing he felt. He was weightless and floating through space. Or water. His mind was foggy- but he supposed that was to be expected. He had just been blown into pieces trying to save Rose Creek. Why did helping people always have to end in pain? His lungs started to scream at him and finally realized his head was still under.





	Forever Cursed?

**Author's Note:**

> So when the show Forever came out I was obsessed, but it wasn't til recently that I got the idea of combining that idea with Magnificent seven, and that's how I ended up here. 
> 
> As always I own nothing except the idea, and original characters. Nor do I claim to own them.

Floating. That was the first thing he felt. He was weightless and floating through space. Or water. His mind was foggy- but he supposed that was to be expected. He had just been blown into pieces trying to save Rose Creek. Why did helping people always have to end in pain? His lungs started to scream at him and finally realized his head was still under. His hands clawed at the water around him, desperately making his way to freedom, to air, to life.

His head broke the surface and he took in great lungfuls of air and forced him to float on his back as coughing took over. He cursed as his body still ached from where it had been torn to shreds by the explosion. He rubbed a hand over his chest and closed his eyes as he centered himself on the present. It was over- he had died and there was nothing more he could do for them now. He flipped back around and started to swim for the shore. He just hoped that he'd done enough to save them.

Faraday was cursed, or blessed depending on the day. He was a few hundred years old and had been one of the first people to come and settle North America. He'd seen the land go through everything... He pulled himself out of the water and cursed as the cold air hit his naked body. “Why? Why can't I materialize with clothes? Would it be so hard to get some clothes?!” He yelled to the empty space around him. He shook his head and started the task of finding the pack that he hid around this lake.

He had been one of the first children born in the new land, had been there when the pilgrims almost died of starvation and sickness- had been there to see what had happened to the natives, and through it all he couldn't even count the number of times he'd died. Though he always remembered the first one. That was the one that had let him know he was a freak. He finally found the pack and started to pull out his change of clothes, eyes scanning the peaceful water as it lapped against the shore. He'd been drowned in this very lake. Taking the fall for someone else who had been charged with being a witch.

The poor woman... she had been so frightened- had declined the wrong man and so the man had claimed the only reason she would deny him was because she was a witch. Faraday had been her friend- had tried to look out for her as they had both been kids of abusive parents. So he had come forward as a witch who had placed her under a spell and that was the reason she had denied the man, and to prove his point he killed the man, who had charged his friend, with 'magic'. Or rather he had given him a slow working poison earlier in the day and had timed it out so he'd die on cue.

That had been enough for the the crowd and they'd taken him to drown. He was thankful it hadn't been the fire- thankful it had been a rainy season and they didn't have the wood to waste on burning him. Except he didn't stay dead. He remembered dying- the way his lungs had felt like they would explode, then the way the water felt rushing into fill the void where air should have been. But he hadn't stayed dead. He'd woken up again hours later awake in the water. That had freaked the village out.

He shook his head. That was old news, he didn't need to think on all of that again. It was just this lake-it always brought it back to the front of his mind. He finished getting dressed and finally realized that something was still on him from before the explosion. His breath hitched as he realized he still had it. He brought his fingers up to give it a swipe across the top, trying to make sure it was actually there. It was something Vasquez had given him... why had it stayed with him? Why hadn't it disappeared like everything else? What ever the reason though he was thankful he still had it. He couldn't see the man again- it'd break his mind, but at least he could have this to- to help him remember.

He straightened up and dusted himself off. Pausing a moment with a frown. He turned around and scanned the water once more- “Well now I'm losing my mind... I'm the only one here.” There was no one watching him from afar. He shook his head and started off. “Now I just gotta get my horse and guns back and I'll be right as rain.” He just had to get back to that town.

 

**Four years later**

 

“You just need to know when your luck's run out.” Faraday grinned as he pulled his winnings towards him, smoke from the cigar escaping his lips. “It was not yer lucky day boys.” A knife was slammed, point down into the table by his wrist.

“One more game.” The man said with a snarl.

“Sir-” He moved his wrist away from the knife like it meant nothing to him. “You have nothing left to bet with. Accept yer losses and move on.” He gathered his newly acquired money and stuffed it into his pocket, intending to put it somewhere more secure later.

This upset the man and he stood up from the table, drawing his gun and pointing it at the middle of Faraday's head. “You cheated- I know you did!” He hollered.

Faraday sighed and gave the man a look. “I did not need to cheat to win against you sir- yer just plain awful at the game.” He said with a bored expression. “Now please put that thing away before one of us gets hurt-” The man pulled the trigger and shot him in the shoulder. Joshua gave a yelp at the sudden pain and brought his hand up to the wound, while chaos started to explode around them. The man who had shot him made a dive for him but someone else punched him in the jaw before he could make it. Faraday chuckled through clenched teeth as the man fell flat on the floor, then he got up and made his way to the back, slipping into one of the rooms that a doctor called home. All the while people fired shots and threw punches in the front of the saloon.

“Hey doc-” He said with a grimace as he took up the spot he'd gotten quite accustomed to over the last couple of weeks. “Got a shot to the shoulder.” He said with a grimace.

“I swear Faraday, you have to be one of my best customers, and one of my worst patients.” The doctor said with a frown as he walked over to the man. “This is the third time in two weeks. Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

He gave a small grin. “Now why in the world would I go and try to do something like that doc?” But it was scary how accurate the man was though. Four years... it had been four years since he'd seen that man and he still couldn't get him out of his head- couldn't stop thinking about him. He knew the man was still alive and kicking, or at least he had been a few months back, because of gossip on the wind. But that was about it. He had almost run into him one time shortly after he'd come back from the dead and it had taken everything he'd had to not go to him then and there. He'd followed them around for the day- though he finally stopped when he suspected that Sam was onto someone following them. At least he was with the remaining of the seven. That was a good thing, people to help him like he couldn't-

“-two-” He blinked and looked over in time for the doctor to dig the tweezers into the bullet wound and he gave a shout. It always hurt more coming out than going in. “I warned you. You'd think after three now you'd be used to it.”

“Damn it doc, no! It never gets better!” He hissed as the torn skin stung and let it be known it was unhappy. He gritted his teeth as the man cleaned the wound then, almost welcoming the stinging of the alcohol. Then came the needle to sew the skin back together. He took the alcohol from the doctor and took a long swig of it before bracing himself to be sewn together again.

 

“ _Try not to be such a idiota, cariño.” The breeze was cool against his skin as he looked up to Vasquez. He was tired and had finally made his way outside onto the porch, to have a moment of peace. Vas had obviously had other ideas._

“ _And what exactly am I an id-eeotah fer?” He asked, looking down at the bottle in his hands._

_He felt a hand in his hair that forced his head to look back up into a frowning face. “Because you're loco- and prone to actuar el tonto.”_

“ _Damn it Vasquez I can't understand you when you speak like that.” He huffed and took a swallow of the drink. “So I'm just gonna act like that was all good stuff towards me.”_

_Vasquez rolled his eyes and shook his head. How? Why? Why had he fallen for this one? Of everyone he could have had feeling for? He looked at the man trying to be annoyed but the look on Faraday's face, for a brief moment so lost and haunted, he couldn't even act annoyed. He settled on a gentle whack to the back of Joshua's head. “Estúpido .” He clicked his tongue. “No se por que te amo.”_

 

“And done- there we go, not nearly as bad as that first time.” Faraday blinked and looked down at his now freshly wrapped arm.

“Wow- thanks doc. You know you should actually be paying me with all the practice I give you on the most common wounds you see out there.” He said slipping his shirt back on.

“Mmhmm maybe if I was a younger doctor. But I'm not Faraday. I went to school to learn all this, so I'm afraid that won't work on me. You know the bill by now I hope?”

Well he'd tried to get out of payment this time. “Yeah, yeah.” He thumbed a few bills off from the stack he'd just won and set it down on his table. “Thanks doc, probably'll see yah around again soon.”

“For your sake I hope not.”

 

~

 

He tied his horse out front of the saloon he was supposed to be meeting the others at. It had been a lot of hard work but, after four years they had managed to get his name cleared of all charges. It had taken some work... a little bribery, a few favors, a couple knifes to some backs. But finally he was a free man to go where he pleased, to do what he wanted. This would be their first mission as an entire team again-

 _'Almost an entire team.'_ His head supplied for him. Blessed Maria, would he not stop thinking like that? It had been so long, since the man had left his life. He should have been able to move on by now. He glanced at the horses looking to see if there were any he knew, trying to force himself to think about something else, and his heart stopped a moment. On the end was a horse that fidgeted and danced, and looked just like Jack... They'd stopped by Rose Creek a year after the event to pay respects to the dead, and he'd found out the horse had been stolen shortly after they'd left the previous year.

He walked over to the wild animal, softly clicking his tongue as he placed a hand on his neck. The horse leaned into the touch and stretched his neck as Vasquez gave it a good rub down. He had to be going insane... this wasn't Faraday's horse. And even if it was, so what? At least he was being used... sure he'd been stolen but he'd been stolen from a dead man. He shook his head finally and headed inside, pausing a moment as he saw that a fight had only recently been stopped. “¿qué en el mundo?” He was thankful he'd missed what ever had happened as it looked like shit in there.

He picked his way over to the bar carefully and caught the bar keepers attention. “A tequila, por favor.” He asked. The bar keep poured him his requested drink and Vasquez passed the money over. Taking up his drink he scanned the room to see if maybe he'd missed the horses outside but still he didn't see anyone he recognized and so he made his way over to an unoccupied corner table. Settling himself in he took a sip of his drink and kept an eye on the front door.

“You sir have got this all wrong-” He frowned as he heard a hushed voice near his vicinity. “It is not my fault yer man lost your money. I won it fair and square-”

“I don't give a rats ass, I want my money back- every last scent of it. Or I'll be taking it out on your hide.”

Faraday gave a light chuckle and shook his head. “Well see here's the thing- I just used a good chunk of that money to start the fire over there-” He grunted as a fist collided with his gut. “I'm sure if you're quick you could still save some.” The sound of flesh smacking flesh could be heard in the room, but no one moved a muscle. A laugh though cut through the silence that followed, and it had Vasquez trying to poke his head around the corner to see what was going on.

“Now see- you think this'll make a difference. That some how it'll magically make your money reappear-” He wiped the blood from his newly split lip. “But I can't give you what I don't have.” He shrugged and the huge man who's money had been lost gave an angry growl before he dove for Faraday. The Irish man jumped out of the way, grinning like a loon and high tailed it to the front door. “See you later!” He yelled as he grabbed his hat off the stand and slipped out the front of the saloon- three men chasing after him.

“ _Güero_?” Vasquez breathed as Faraday ran through the room like a rabbit from a coyote. It- it couldn't be. He rubbed at the corners of his eyes and shook his head. It was only because he'd seen the stupid horse. He was making himself believe- it was only his mind trying to force a recognition of anyone to go with the horse outside. He watched as the horse and rider rode past the swinging doors, a grin on the man's face as the three people threw curses at him.

“Damn yer hide Faraday! We will hunt you down you son of a-” But Vasquez blocked the rest out as his glass fell to the table. He quickly stood up and started for the door- pushing past it and looking to where the man and rider had left, seeing nothing but dust. They had said Faraday- he had heard them say Faraday! He ran a hand down his face then started for his horse only to run into Sam.

“You're early.” the man said, then gave a small frown. “And look like you've seen a ghost. What's wrong son?”

“Faraday- those men said Faraday. And his horse, his horse was here!” He grabbed onto Sam's arm. “I saw him- Le vi el bastardo estúpido!”

“Whoa- whoa Vasquez.” Sam looked thoroughly concerned. “Are you listening to yourself right now? Faraday is dead. Has been for four years.”

Vasquez looked at Sam then slowly nodded his head. “Si- si. I know.”

“Come on son- let's get you a drink.” He had thought the man was over this. Or maybe he had hoped he was over this. It baffled his mind that with such a short time the two had become quite the pair... maybe if he'd realized that sooner he could have stopped Faraday from playing the self sacrificing hero. He lead Vasquez into the bar and ordered them both strong drinks while they waited for the others.

 

~

 

Faraday groaned as he finally slipped off Jack and his feet hit the ground. “Oh Jack that was crazy.” His shoulder ached something fierce but the stitches had held up and he had lost his admirers, so all in all he felt it was a good day. He brought the horse to the back of the Saloon and knocked on the door. It opened up with a disgruntled bar keep. “You are a piece of work Faraday. You start a fight and then almost start a second one all within a couple hours of each other. I should throw you out and be done with you.” Though his words sounded harsh, Joshua knew there wasn't any real threat to them.

“Yeah you know, if we could get to the part where you forgive me, I pay you and you let me sleep I'd be much obliged.”

“You get rid of those fellers?” He nodded his head. The owner sighed but finally nodded his head. “Alright- put your horse up for the night and then you can have your normal room.”

“You're the best.” Faraday said with a tired smile then left to put Jack up, taking care that his horse was settled for the night before making his way back inside. “Hey Will- I'll take one for bed.” He said walking in. He threw a glance around the room, mainly checking to see who all was left. A few people were playing cards again towards the front, a man was about to run off with a woman who'd probably been working him all night and back in the corner there seemed to be someone passed out. He watched that person a moment, the silhouette seeming familiar, before the sound of the drink being set down brought his attention back and he gave a grin. “Anything interesting happen while I was gone?”

“No- for once we had a peaceful night.”

“Ah come on, that's not fair. I've only been here two weeks.”

“And when are you leaving?”

He brought a hand to his heart in mock hurt. “You done wound me William. And here I though we were becoming fast friends.” He took the drink in hand and started up the stairs, giving his neck a roll and being rewarded with a couple of pops. He made his way upstairs and headed for his room. He fumbled with the key a moment, hearing someone else coming up the stairs. He didn't give it much mind as nothing downstairs seemed off. He cursed slightly under his breath though and messed with the key some more willing it to go into the lock faster, ready to be in his current bed.

After much work he managed to get the door unlocked, but didn't get the chance to open it as a body pressed up behind him, a hand clamped over his mouth, and the barrel of a gun pressed against his head. He dropped the drink in his hand to try and pull the hand off his moth, and someone else caught it before it crashed and alerted others that something wasn't right. “You've got some balls Faraday.” One of the men from before, purred in his ear.

The man pushed froward into the room, the man behind him shutting and locking it from the inside. “Now see I thought to myself, 'well maybe he's gone back to that there saloon. He seems real friendly with the staff' and then I thought 'oooh no, surely even he couldn't be that stupid.' and yet here we are. You coming back to me like a pig ready for slaughter.” Faraday slammed his head back into the other mans face and he gave a curse pulling away on reflex. The second man though seemed to have been expecting him to pull a stunt and he slammed the butt of his pistol into his face. Josh gave a curse and brought a hand up, feeling a warmth trickling down and over his lips.

The pause was enough for the first man to get refocus and he wrestled Faraday to the ground and proceeded to sit on his back. He grabbed a fistful of hair and yanked his head up and jammed his gun under his chin. “Don't fuck with me Faraday.” He growled.

The second man came around and pulled his guns from their holsters, stuffing them into various places on his own person. “These sure do look pretty Faraday- I can see why yer so partial to'em. That horse of yours outside?” Joshua only glared at the man, the gun barrel still very present under his chin. “Not so talkative now are yah?”

“Rowdy shut your mouth and get to work. We don't have all night.” The shorter man made a face but nodded his head and pulled lengths of rope out of the bag he had flung over him. Faraday tried once more to struggle for a brief moment before he heard the gun cock back and he stilled again. “That's right, be a good boy-” The man leaned over, brushing his nose against his face. He was slow close to his ear Josh could feel every breath he exhaled, and it made his skin crawl. “Now stay still.” Funny... Joshua had been trying to get himself killed the last two weeks, and yet now that it would be relatively simple to get himself killed he couldn't bring himself to do it. And a bullet to the head was one of the least painful ways to go. Though... disappearing in front of people normally lead to bad things happening.

He stayed still, not really having an option at this point, as he was bound hand and foot and silenced with a gag. He was going with plan b here, and would keep an eye out for a chance to escape. “There we go-” The man shoved his head down against the floor, before he got up off him. “Look at him all nice and bundled up. Like a gift.” That sent a shudder down his spine.

“Yeah he sure does.”

“And you know what you do with gifts Rowdy?” He really didn't like where there was going.

“Give'em to people?”

“That's right- you give them to people.” He looked at Faraday and the grin that took over his face made his blood run cold.

 

~

 

Vasquez had nodded off downstairs after the meeting; everyone else going upstairs into various rooms for the night. He'd rented a room too but he hadn't been ready to face that just yet, still going over, again and again the scene that had played out earlier. Trying to work out that it had not been who he thought he'd seen. The bar keep had left some time ago now and slowly everyone had gone off to their various places. He had eventually woken himself up, probably from snoring too loud. But he still sat there, in his corner, forgotten about by the world, unseen by those who had passed him by. And that was how he was when he heard someone creeping down the stairs. His eyes darted over to see a man looking around before giving someone else the all clear.

He watched, interest piqued as he realized the two men were part of the trio from earlier. He stayed still realizing he hadn't been seen yet, figuring this would be worth his time. Following the shorter man was a larger man with a struggling someone slung over his shoulder. “You hush up or I'll put another bullet in yah.” The larger man growled and seemed to dig his fingers into his hostage. His own hand twitched towards his gun- knowing what ever was going on was only going to end poorly, when his heart stopped for the second time that night. The hostage had lifted his head up, in an attempt to get off the shoulder, and it was Faraday. He was one hundred percent sure. Joshua Faraday was alive and well. Or at least he was alive for the time being. The shock of it gave the men time to get out of the Saloon and into the night.

He shook himself from his trance and jumped up to follow after them. He stopped by the door to look out and saw them loading Faraday onto the back of a horse before they swung up into the saddles and started off down the street. Vasquez cursed under his breath and ran to his own horse, thankful he had been lazy with taking everything off her yet. “Vamos cariño.” He said and urged her forward, after the two men. His departure was not unnoticed by a certain man who hadn't been able to sleep that night, due to his friend still being downstairs, presumably drinking the memory of their friend away.

“Where the hell you going Vasquez.” Sam muttered before waking the others and heading after the man.

 

~

 

Well he'd been in worse situations before. They all ended in dying- but they'd been worse. He looked around him amazed that some low time bandits were able to pull this entire thing off so smoothly. Even their hide away was pretty nice. If they hadn't been trying to kill him from their first meeting he may have even volunteered to join up with them. He leaned back against the wall of the room they had thrown him in and was trying to wiggle his bonds free. His wrists were sore from the effort but he'd rather them sore and alive then not sore and dead. Or rather he didn't want to experience dying again, as that never got easier.

 

“ _What do you think it's like to die?”_

“ _What?”_

“ _What do you think it's like to die?” Vasquez repeated the question._

“ _For pete's sake- why you going asking a thing like that?” He asked looking over at the man next to him._

“ _It's a very real possibility that I'll be experiencing it tomorrow... and I just wondered what it would be like.”_

“ _Oh please- don't talk like that. That's how quitters talk. That's how you end up dead in the first place. Don't you be worrying about what it feels like, cause it's gonna be a long time before you have to worry about that.” He'd make sure of it._

“ _Güero, you don't know what you're saying. Tomorrow very well could be my last day- could be your last day, or both of ours.” Faraday stood up at that and placed his hands on both sides of his partners face. “Alejandro-” He could feel the shiver that sent down the mans spine. “Tomorrow will not be a last day for you or for anyone else on this team of ours. You will survive.”_

_Vasquez looked thankful for a moment then shrugged Faraday off, “Don't call me that Güero.” He said with the corner of his mouth turned up. “And of course I'll live- it's your estúpido culo that'll get killed.”_

_"What'll it take Alejandro?" This time it brought a smile to his lips when Faraday said it. "To convince you that you'll survive tomorrow?"_

_"I don't know Joshua." Faraday smiled and leaned in and pressed his lips against his. Everyone was either inside or asleep, they could have this moment. "Mmm though pleasant doesn't make me more confidant about tomorrow."_

_"Well fine then-" He pulled out his deck of cards and pulled out the Jack of hearts. He slipped it into the inside pocket on the mans vest. "A good lock token."_

_" Güero-"_

_"Nope- that's it.  That's my promise to you that everything'll work out tomorrow. You'll give it back once we've won." Vasquez finally gave a smile at the sentiment._

_"Well then you need something too cariño."  He tugged the leather strap from around his neck and pulled off the ring that had been on there for years. He took Faraday's hand and slipped it onto his pointer finger. "There- now you give that back after we win."_

_Joshua looked at the ring with a smile then gave a chuckle. "Well there we have it- a pact that we'll survive tomorrow."_

_Vasquez, though he wouldn't admit it, felt a little better now about tomorrow. Just seeing Faraday keep up a positive facade on made him feel better. Though the question had still lingered._

 

"What do you think it's like to die?" Faraday scowled and looked up at the slow drawl of a man that sounded used to getting what he wanted. "I am lead to believe that you are a person that knows first hand what it's like to die... and come back." His heart skipped a beat. He couldn't know- he'd been so careful about being found out. No one in a couple centuries had figured it out.

He licked his lips and gave a smirk. "You hear yerself? Yer plum crazy."

"So you're saying, if I killed you right now, your body wouldn't disappear and reappear at that lake some fifty miles from here?" His eye widened, giving away the man had spoken truth. "Ah ha. Though I already knew I was correct, as I've been keeping an eye on you for a very long time." The man shifted his weight and leaned against the wall and started to pick at his nails with his knife. "See I was there when you came out of that lake some four year ago- in fact I had been there a good hour trying to catch something to eat. So imagine my surprise when a man came bursting out of the water."

Faraday swallowed. He had thought he felt someone watching him that day- but he had figured it was nothing. He really needed to pay more attention to his gut, as it seemed to be right more often than wrong. "It took some skill and a lot of sneaking around but eventually I started hearing stories about you. In the beginning it was told how you died at Rose Creek- but those were hushed up relatively quickly, shortly after you entered society again. You have something to do with that?" Joshua stayed stubbornly silent. The man sighed, "I asked-" He jammed the knife to his leg and started to dig it in. "You have something to do with that?"

Joshua tried to ride the pain out but the man just kept digging the blade in and twisting it around- finally he nodded his head. "Yes- yes I had something to do with that. But – but what do you expect me to do? People thought I was dead. I needed to set the records straight."

"And just what exactly is straight Faraday?" He pulled the knife from his leg and Faraday let out an audible sigh.

"That I wasn't dead.” He said through gritted teeth. “That I'd just been flung really far away, cause of where I was sitting and the way the dynamite was thrown- it was all a matter of luck and chance.” He attempted a smirk. “What I thrive on more of less."

The man gave him an incredulous look, hardly believing the words he heard come from the mans mouth. Finally he shook his head and scoffed. "Let's not beat around the bush, hmm? You know how to come back from the dead- I want to learn." He said, getting right in his face.

"Look- even if what you were saying is true-" He got backhanded, but the man didn't say anything, so he tried again, a little slower this time. "Even if what you were saying is true-" Another slap to his face. He let out a frustrated noise- "Are you gonna let me talk or-" A thumb was pressed into the wound on his shoulder and he gave a yelp. "Look- You got this wrong-" The stitches busted as the man ripped the hole back open and Faraday yelled. "Alright, alright!" The man backed off, hand red with his blood. "Fine so I can come back from the dead-" He panted, his entire shoulder throbbing with every beat of his heart. "I don't know how I do it, and certainly don't know how to share it-" The knife was stabbed into his leg. "Shit! I'm telling you the truth! I don't know- I don't know how to tell you to come back from the dead!"

The man yanked the knife out then dug it back in without asking another question. Simply taking enjoyment with the way Faraday screamed and writhed as he twisted and turned the blade in his flesh. Eventually though he yanked the knife out and Faraday collapsed back on the wall, a slight tremor taking over his body. "Very well, I believe you.” He wiped the blood off on Faraday's pants. “That just makes you a valuable asset to have in my arsenal." He snapped his fingers. "These men will take you to the doctor to be patched up. Once you are good enough to work, we shall be seeing each other again." He gave a smile that could curdle dairy and gave his face a pat, leaving a bloody hand print behind. Then he got up and allowed the two other men to come in and carry him off to the doctor. “My Nightmare Man.”

 

~

 

Sam and the rest had managed to catch up with Vasquez, and all were currently combing through the hideout of the men Vasquez was positive had taken Faraday. Sam did not believe that Faraday had come back from the dead, but he most certainly believed that his friend thought that, and that _someone_ had been taken and needed their help. He watched as Vasquez took another man down silently knocking him out. "You know, leaving one of them awake might help with finding who we're looking for." The other man only nodded his head. He looked ready to murder everyone who crossed his path.

Ahead there was a slight commotion and two men stepped out of a room with another man hanging between them. "Don't know why you insisted on being so stubborn."

"Yeah- if that had been me? I'd have told him what ever he wanted to hear so my leg didn't end up like this. Think it'll heal right?"

"Oh sure- if he had the time to let it heal properly." Then two men laughed deeply at what they perceived to be a joke. But it wasn't so much what was being said that had Sam and Vasquez stopped in their tracks.

"Well I'll be- that sure does look like the man..." But they'd seen him blow up... right?

"I told you I saw Faraday."

"Maybe- maybe he's a sibling? Or just a man that happens to look like him."

"And sound like him? I've heard him and I know the voice I heard belonged to him." He started forward again, one goal in his mind. Not even Sam trying to call him back slowed him down. Four years... four years that bastard had been alive and never once did he try to make contact. It hurt thinking that, for what ever the reason, Faraday was alive and had decided he wasn't worth coming back for.

"You know you guys could be real pals and just let me go- I could show you a card trick for it?" They fell for it. Soon Faraday had his cards out, balancing on one foot and was showing them his famous card trick. Fooling them, pulling the wrong card out only to amaze them with the right card moments later. Only this time he threw the card at one of the men and nicked him in the eye, as he made a limping run for it. Vasquez cursed lightly as he had decided to run in the direction he wasn't hiding behind. Though that did allow him a clear view of the men as they tried to get their guns out to shoot Joshua down.

Vasquez took that as his opportunity and pulled away from his hiding spot and started to provide cover fire for the retreating form of Faraday. The two men cursed and quickly dove for cover, one giving a howl of pain as a bullet caught his side. Joshua spared a glance back wondering who was shooting at who and at the sight of who was behind him had him fumbling to a stop, followed by a tumble to the ground. His mind blanked as he saw Alejandro work his way towards him. No... nonono. He couldn't be there- he shouldn't be here! He backed away on the ground as he watched Vasquez take out several men that tried to charge him, unable to do more than stare at him.

"Still an idiota, _cariño."_ Vasquez spat as he made it to his side.

"No- no you're not, you can't- How're you-" He couldn't get a full sentence to form in his head, let alone out of his mouth. Everything was at war with each other. He was here, right there so close he could touch him. But he shouldn't be there- he couldn't know he was alive, and certainly not how managed to do it either. He should be running for the hills- it never went well when someone found him alive again after 'death'. But with him there, anything he'd been able to tell himself to control the desire, to control the need to just be near him went right out the window and all he wanted was to wrap his arms around him and never let the man go again.

"Believe me- you and I are having a long talk.” He said with a frown, still hurt that he hadn't been enough. But regardless of what the man felt or didn't feel, Vasquez couldn't change his own feelings, and his own desires and would not leave the man here to die. Not when he could save him. “But we need to get you out of here. Can you walk if I help?" Faraday finally nodded his head remembering he had been trying to escape. Vasquez nodded his in return and slipped an arm around the mans shoulders, such a simple touch shouldn't send warmth blooming in his gut, and Joshua wrapped an arm around his neck. Vasquez handed Faraday one of his guns and together they made their way through the people trying to kill them until finally they were at the horses. Sam was there providing cover fire for the boys as they left the hide out, like a beacon of light in the darkness. He looked at Faraday with a glare, that turned softer after a moment.

"Get him back to the inn Vasquez. We'll finish up here." The man didn't need to be told twice, he helped Faraday onto his horse, swinging up behind him then urged her into a full out run.

 

_~_

 

"Not even twenty four hours Faraday. This has to be a new record even for you." The doctor said as he worked on the man's leg.

"Yeah- believe me I wish it was another bullet wound." He said a little breathless as the man worked. His skin was clammy, and his hair was sticking to his face but he couldn't bring himself to care at the moment. This could probably do him in... if he let it. If he didn't try to fight it. But those thoughts were wiped from his mind as a damp rag was placed against his forehead and the headache that had been forming vanished in moments. He opened his eyes and looked up into the face of a man he thought he'd never see again.

"Don't think this is getting you out of talking." The frowning face said. At this point Faraday had accepted his fate, and simply nodded his head.

"It'll be a crazy story though... and you may not believe it."

"Well considering what's happened today, I'm almost willing to believe anything right now."

Faraday gave a weak smile and brought a hand up to grasp Vasquez's wrist. The man obliged and moved his hand around so it would be easier to hold, and even linked their fingers together. "Good- cause I'll need that belief if I'm to make it out of this." He mumbled.

He closed his eyes as the the doctor finally got back to his shoulder. “Shit-” He heard the man mutter. “Damn fool- ripped it open again and bruised it something awful. Faraday this is going to require bed rest. And I mean full on bed rest.” He only nodded his head and gratefully took the drink that appeared in front of him. He felt Vasquez push his weight against him as the doctor started to fix up his shoulder once again. It finally just proved to be too much for the Irish man and he gratefully slipped into a blissful darkness.

 

The next time he woke up he was in a bed and heard someone humming next to him. He cracked an eye open slowly and saw Vasquez sitting in a chair, fiddling with something in his hands. So... that hadn't been a dream or nightmare. The man knew he was alive and kicking. He groaned and brought a hand up to his face and rubbed at his eyes.

“Ah good- you're awake.” He heard the man say, voice strained? He looked over and nodded his head. “How're you feeling?”

“Like Jack threw me off then tried to stomp me into the ground.” He chuckled softly.

“Ah good you can joke.” He snapped. “Then you can answer questions, si?” Faraday slowly nodded his head. “Let's just get to the point.” Faraday had been sleeping for two days and he'd been driving himself insane with one question in particular. “Why didn't you come back?”

Joshua paused not expecting that to be the first question that came from him. “What?”

Vasquez's face hardened. “Why did you not come back? Four years Jos- Faraday! Four years since I, we thought you were dead. You know you have a grave right?”

“Yes... It was very nice.” He said softly.

That was the wrong thing to say. “Oh- so you could take the time to go to Rose Creek but not bother with finding me, us?” He spat. “For the love of- you are a piece of work Faraday! What we had may not have meant anything to you- but I deserved to know you were alive! I thought- I thought...” He voice broke and his frown depend trying to keep from breaking down entirely. “Pensé que eras mío, y yo era tuyo.”

“Hey- no you've got this wrong.” Faraday said pushing himself before thinking and hissed as his shoulder protested greatly.

“Idiota- don't use your arm.” He snapped.

“Damn it Vasquez I'm tryin to talk to you.” The man quirked a brow and motioned for him to go on. “Thank you.” He settled down, taking care of his arm in particular. “You got this wrong- I do care for you...” A snort came from him, and Josh opted to ignore it. “But I didn't- I didn't come find you because-” Because I came back from the dead? How was that a better explanation? “It wasn't because I don't care for you, or because you aren't worth finding. Hell, you're probably the best thing that's happened to me in... years.”

“And yet four years you don't bother to let me know your alive?”

“My turn to speak ah-meego.”

Vasquez shook his head with a roll of his eyes, “Amigo- Amigo, Güero.” He sat back in the chair with a huff and leaned his head against his hand.

“How ever the hell you say it.” He snapped. He was starting to lose what little patience he had, not that he ever really started out with much to begin with. “Look- I couldn't come find you cause you weren't supposed to find out that I was alive again.”

“¿Por qué? Why?” Agitation still high in his voice. “Why couldn't I know you were alive? What was so important you couldn't write a letter, or something to let me know 'oh by the way idiot I'm alive and never coming back – signed cabrón .'”

“Because I died Vasquez!” He yelled and silence fell between them. “I- I fucking died. That explosive tore me a new one, I'm gonna have scars from that explosion for the rest of my life, it was that traumatic.” He hissed.

“You're telling me the reason you couldn't come find me was because you died?” He looked at him like he'd lost his mind.

“No- because even though I die I don't... I don't actually die.” He got softer and softer with each word uttered.

Vasquez stilled and his gaze became glazed over. “Fine. You died and came back to life some how, and that's why you couldn't tell me you'd come back from the dead.” He got up and dusted his pants off. “If you don't want to tell me the truth Faraday at least make up a lie that's plausible-”

“No- no Vasquez I'm being serious-”

“Don't make me laugh cabrón. Don't insult me. I get it. What ever happened with us at Rose Creek was just for the hell of it before dying. I understand. I won't bother you again.” He started for the door.

“No- no Vasquez- wait!” He was desperate. His hands looked around for a gun or a knife or anything he could use. “Alejandro please-”

Vasquez turned on him, and in one stride was in front of him gun drawn and placed against Faraday's head. “Don't call me that.” He hissed, vision blurred by the tears that threatened to fall down his face. “Don't ever-” His words faded as he saw something around Faraday's neck. He lowered the gun and moved his hand to the necklace and tugged it free from his shirt. On the end of the cord sat the ring he'd given Faraday the night before the battle. “You... you've kept it.” He stated. It sent a conflict of emotions through him, not sure if it was a good thing or bad. He caught Faraday's eyes. “Why?”

“Because-” He licked his lips and swallowed. “I couldn't let you go. Please- not looking for you, not coming back to you was the hardest thing I've ever had to do.”

“Then why stay away?”

“Because I'm fucking cursed Vasquez.” He said, desperation sneaking into his voice. “I can't die. I have been killed more ways that I can count- but I never stay dead.” Vasquez clicked his tongue and started to pull away- but Faraday caught his wrist. “You said you could believe anything- please believe me now. I am telling you the honest truth.” He breathed. “I didn't find you because of this right here- because people either don't believe me, kill me themselves, or...” Or take him in for experimentation. “And so far- no one has believed me.”

“Well maybe you should think of a better story.” He said softly and pulled his hand from Faraday's. Joshua realizing he was losing the man again snatched the gun from his loose grasp and pressed it against his head. “Güero, what are you doing?” He yelled.

“Fifty miles east of here is a lake-”

“No- no don't do this.”

“It may take a day or two but go there.”

Vasquez moved towards him fully intending to take the gun. “You're loco cariño.”

“I can't lose you again Vasquez!” He shouted and tumbled to the other side of the bed ignoring the pain that shot through his body. “I'm going to prove it to you.”

“No- No I believe you!” Vasquez was desperate. “I believe you! Te creo!” He scrambled over the side of the bed. “Don't do this-” Was he pissed with him? Yes, maybe more so now, but he didn't want him to die. “Joshua give me the gun-”

“But you don't!” He said. “If you did you'd know this was nothing- I'd wake up in that damn lake again-”

“Don't make me watch you die again!”

Silence fell between them once more, both men breathing heavily.

Oh... he- he hadn't thought of it like that... He looked at the gun in his hand, then slowly handed it over. Vasquez took it, uncocked it and threw it on the bed before he lunged at Joshua. The man tensed expecting a beating of some sort for the stunt he'd just pulled but was surprised as arms wrapped around him and pulled him into a hug. Vasquez babbled off insult after insult at him in his native tongue and Faraday found comfort in that, as he wrapped his own arms around the man as best as he could.

“I'm sorry... I didn't- I didn't see it like that.” He mumbled.

That earned him a whack to the back of his head. “You never think- that's half your problem right there.” Faraday snorted but nodded his head, not disagreeing with what was said. Though he wasn't sure Vasquez actually believed him- he wasn't leaving either, and for that he was thankful. “Alright come on- back to that bed.” Vasquez picked himself up then helped Faraday to his feet. They twisted and turned and eventually got the man back into the bed and Vasuqez settled back in the chair again.

“Thank you.” Faraday breathed before he pulled the covers up and drifted back to sleep.

“De nada Güero.”

 

~

 

Eventually everyone made their rounds into Faraday's room, he found out that near no one had made it out of the battle unscathed- though he had been the only one to die properly. Well... even then he hadn't died properly. They were all pissed at him, and he didn't bother trying to tell them the truth. Though he suspected that Red knew something else was going on here, but either wasn't going to pry or simply didn't care. He could never tell with that boy. He and Vasquez had soon slipped back into their interesting relationship they'd formed back at Rose Creek. Though now they were cussing and fighting about what Faraday should and should not be doing. 

"Damn it Vas- I'm fine!" 

"You are not fine! Look at you- you can barely limp around the room, and you want to get out of town?" 

"Yes I want to get out of town." Faraday hissed. "It's been a miracle those men haven't come back for round three yet." 

"I told you, we took care of them Güero _._ "

"But not the leader? The head honcho?" That man knew his secret and he knew he wasn't going to leave him alone- not when he'd already thought of a damn name for him. Who the hell came up with Nightmare man? "That man is bad news Vasquez- I can't stay here." 

"You plan on running off again?" He snapped. 

"No- yes, wait no- we can't stay here." 

"And now you're assuming I'm going to drop my life to go with you?" 

"Damn it!" He just couldn't win. He ran a hand through his hair, beyond frustrated. "I need to leave-" he said slowly. "That man is out there knows what I can do. He won't stop until he either get's what he wants or is dead." 

"Or... you could stay here and trust that we can look out for you. And that's coming from me." He said sternly. 

He stopped and chewed his lower lip a moment as he thought that over. He'd just been on his own, yeah it had been nothing like what Vasquez had been through, he'd been able to enter society without having to worry about being turned in, but he had still done all of that on his own. Wandered from town to town with no one to look out for him except him. 

Vasquez decided he was taking too long and decided to remind him of a few things. "You are stubborn cariño." He said as he crawled onto the bed and straddled him. He bent over and lazily kissed him, taking his time as their lips got reacquainted with each other, each touch teasing and slow. He brought a hand up and ran his knuckles against the scruff on his cheek, making Faraday smile into the kiss. Eventually though he pulled away, a satisfied smirk on his mouth. "Stay." He said. 

"Fuck you- Alright." He brought his hand up and pulled him back down into another kiss. "I think that was cheating though." He mumbled against his lips. 

 


End file.
